Barren egleston



UNITED PATEN OFFICE.

WARREN EeLEsToN, or TnoY, New ronK.

MACHINE FOR KNlVES FOR THE USE QF TANNERS, CURItIERS, 6to.

Specification of Letters Patent Nc. 1,064, dated January 8, 1839.

To all whom it may concern Bt it known that I, Athe undersigned, WARRENEGLEsToN, of the city of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful niachine, called the tannersand currieris sharpening-machine, intended to sharpen currying knives,iiesher knives, leathersplitting-machine knives, and other knives ofsimilar construction used by tannersand curriers, it may also be used tosharpen the knives of lath-machines, manufacturersshearing-machineknives, planing-machine knives, and other knives of like shape,) ofwhich said machine the following is a specification. Y

The aforesaid machine is made with a plank or board about five feetlong; from two to three inches thick and from twelve to eighteen incheswide, and is elevated upon four legs about two and a half vfeet inlength. This is called the bench of the machine. Pieces of woodcorresponding in length Ito the width of the bench and about threeinches wide and two inches thick are nailed or otherwise fastened acrossthe ends of the be/110m and another piece 0f Wood 0f the same dimensionsis nailed or otherwise fastened across the bench about fourteen inchesfrom one end and arallel to the others; these are called the bed piecesof the machine, and are distinguished as irst, second, and thirdbedpieces, beginning to number from the one f rthest removed from themiddle bed piece. Upon each edge and extending the whole length of thebench are nailed narrow slips of board; Vthe bench is thus divided yintotwo apartments; the smaller intended to contain water for the purposesof the machine and also the stone hereafter described when not in use;the other, to contain the different parts of the machine. Obtuse angularmortises are cut into the first and second bed pieces opposite to and inthe same line with each other. The point or angle of said mortise beingabout half an inch from the bench; the dimensions of said mortisevarying accordin to the width and nature o f the knife inten ed to besharpened. Into that side of each of said mortises upon which rests theknife while subject to the process of sharpening, two small screws areinserted; one near the point or angle of the mortise, the other near theupper line of the bed piece as by reference to drawings herewithexhibited will lmore :fully appear. Another screw is inserted nearlyopposite to the first aforesaid screws. The back of the knife rests uponthis last mentioned screw, the under side of the knife at the same timeresting upon the other two. All of these screws may be elevated ordepressed to obviate any inequality in the width or thickness of theknife; and also to adapt or gage it to the requisite bevel of Athe edge;and are called gage screws.

At the end of the liirst bed piece, opposite the said angular mortiseand at a corresponding point in the third bed piece is inserted at rightangles to the plane of the bench, a screw or standard made of iron orother metal, about ,siX inches in length with a thread or screw cut uponit about three inches. About two inches from the top of said post orstandard a shoulder is made and a round bar of iron about an inch indiameter with a hole in each end and eX- tending from one to the otheris inserted and rests upon said shoulders and upon the ends of saidscrews projecting above said bar, handles or thumb pieces are screwed orotherwise fastened. These thumb pieces may be removed so as to take olfIthe bar. The aforesaid bar is thus suspended parallel yto the bench andmay be elevated or depressed by turning the screws, as will more fullyappear by reference to the drawings. Whenlthus suspended it is calledthe general gage or regulator,

A stone is used, `called the rub stoneg being from eight to ten inchesin diameter, and from two to four inches thick and may be round or anyother suitable shape. Into the under side of said stone are drilled twoor more holes, about half through; of any requisite diameter; and thencecontinued through of a less diameter; thus forming a shoulder to supportthe head of a bolt or screw, that passes through said holes for thepurpose of attaching a handle to the opposite side of said stone. (Referto drawings for a more full explanation.)

The handle attached to said stone is made of two strips or pieces ofwood from eighteen to ytwenty-four inches long; about four inches inwidth and two inches thick; said pieces of wood, about six inches fromthe ends are framed together at right angles to each other. Into thelonger arms of the handle, grooved of about an inch and a half in widthare cut parallel to the face ilof the stone, and parallel to each other,

knife,

as may suit the operator.

and also upon the same plane. This handle is so fastened to the saidstone by means of screws or bolts passing through the aforesaid holes asthat the four right angles formed by the intersection of the two piecesof'wood, rest upon the center of the stone. Thin strips of iron arescrewed or otherwise fastened upon the grooves, called wearing irons.

One of the arms of the handle to the rub stone is inserted upon theregulator by means of the groove, and is there confined by means of apin or screw inserted into a hole in the end of the arm. The face of thestone intended 'to act upon the knife rests upon it and is parallel toits bevel. To bring the face of the stone exactly parallel to the edgeof the knife, so that its whole plane or surface may act upon the thegroove of each arm is inserted upon the bar or regulator so as to makethe regulator subtend the angle at the center of the stone; one or bothof the posts or supporters sustaining the regulator are 5 then elevatedor depressed till the face of the stone is brought to bear equally uponthe bevel of the knife. The stone is then ,moved alternately at rightangles to the edge of the knife or with any other motion The length ofthe grooves being less than the diameter of the stone, so that the stonecannot pass beyond the knife in either direction. The face of the stoneis made to wear uniform by alternately using either grooved arm of 40tions at the upper line of said bed piece,

by turning may the handle.

Into the first bed piece is cut a cavity f of any requisite shape anddimensions forming two acute angular lips or projecthe edges orangles ofsaid lips on projections being about two inches asunder; a screw isinserted into each of these projections passing through the same, whichbe elevated or depressed. In the center range between the aforesaidedges or angles and parallel to the regula'- tor a half circular mortiseor groove is cut, about an inch and a half wide and of the same depth;in the center of this mortise or groove a post or supporter isinsertedwith a cavity cut in the top, about an inch wide and of the same depth,to receive and confine the shank of the currying knife; at the.

length of the blade of the currying knife end; the base of the cavityfrom the aforesaid post or supporter andin the same parallel anotherpost or supporter is inserted into the bench, of the same dimensions andwith a like cavity cut in the in both posts being in the same plane. Thecurrying knife is placed upon these posts or supporters, the cavitiesreceiving the shanks of the same between the handles and the blade; theknife is thus elevated about three sides or edges of thev the same.

inches from the bench When placed in a position to receive the action ofthe rub stone that handle of the knife which is at right angles with theblade passes between the aforesaid angular lips or projections, andcomes in contact with the point of one or the other of the aforesaidscrews that pass through the aforesaid angular p-rojections.

The screw is then elevated or depressed so as to adapt the bevel of theknife to the action of the rub stone. rlhe position and arrangement ofthe rub stone and regulator are tlie same as in the process ofsharpening the' leatherspliting machine y i knife. y;

In a line parallel to the regulator and at the requisite distanceremoved therefrom; and also removed from each other the length of theblade of the `tanners flesher; two

other posts or e supporters are inserted or driven into the bench. Thesemay also be made of iron and are about three inches long, shape anddimensions as the shank or handle of the knife may require; the base ofsaid cavities being in the same plane. In a line, parallel to that ofsaid posts and farther removed from the regulator, two screws areinserted into the bench so that the outer edge of the flesher; or thatsubject to the process of sharpening may rest upon them lnear t-hecorners; these screws are gages also called and are elevated ordepressed so as to adapt the bevel of the knife to the action of thestone of the knife. One of the bevels of this knife being convex and theother concave there must be a sub stone for each, with a face or surfaceadapted to each bevel; but in other respects the arrangements andposition of the sub stone and regulator are the same. Thel regulatoritself always being elevated or depressed to suit the thickness of thestones. The handle of the sub stone may be attached to the stone bymeans of a single bolt passing through the center and then the stone maybe made to revolve upon this axis in addition to its other motions.

When other knives than the leather splitting machine knife curryingknife and flesher are intended to be sharpened the arrangements forplacing and securing Athe knife in its place may be varied to suit theshape, size and structure of said knife; but the rub stone governed bythe regulator, will act uniformly in the same manner upon the edge ofthe knife.

The bench may be increased in width so as to place the regulatorfin thecenter of the bed pieces; and the arrangementsfor the leather splittingmachine knife may. be placed on one side ofthe regulator and those forthe currying knife and iesher may be located upon the opposite side ofSo .also the same arrangements with cavities cut in the top of such maybe adopted When the machine is intended to be used for the purpose ofSharpening other knives. The machine may also be made with onlyarrangements for the purpose of sharpening any one kind or species ofknives above named.

The several parts of the aforesaid machine are delineated in drawingsherewith transmitted and marked Figs. 1, 2, 3, and the several parts arealso pointed out in said drawings and explained in a schedule heretoannexed marked A.

Figure 1, represents the machine With a leather splitting machine knifeplaced in the angular mortises ready to be operated upon by the rubstone, a currying knife and flesher in the same position also therubstcne placed as when intended to act upon any of the aforesaid knivesor any other knife. Fig. 2 represents the machine Without any species 0fknives being located as also Without the regulator. Fig. 3, representsthe rub stone With the handles attached in an inverted order. Arepresents the machine ready t0 operate upon a knife. B representsWithout the rubstone, regulator or any knife. C represents that face ofthe rubstone that acts upon the knife. D represents the rubstone readyto act upon a knife. E represents the regulator. F a splitting machineknife placed in the angular mortises as described in the abovespecification. G represents a currying knife placed ready to be actedupon lby the rub stone. H represents a iesher located in the manner andfor the purposes above described. I the larger apartment of the bench. Jthe lesser apartment. K represents `a cavity cut in the bed piece numberone as described. L circular mortis/e or groove. M angular mortise. Nangular lips or projections. Aa bed pieces. F f, posts, or standardssupport-ing the regulator. a. the posts or supporters for the curryingknife and flesher. b gage screws. c legs of bench. e holes drilled inrub stone through Which a screw or bolt passes to attach the handle. dgroove of the arm of the handle.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-The mode herein described of sharpening knives, that is to say, thecombination of the bench With the regulator and rub-stone, the Wholebeing constructed and arranged in the manner substantially as hereindescribed.

In testimony whereof I, the said WARREN EGLESTON have hereto subscribedmy name in the presence of the Witnesses Whose names are heretosubscribed on the 29th day of December, one thousand eight hundred andthirty eight.

WARREN EGLESTON.

VVitnesSsS:

R. THOMAS, JOHN LADUE.

